Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Waiting on DS SCAT scores......

Newbie here. Could someone explain LOG with regard to SCAT scores? Are qualifying scores considered gifted? What would be considered highly gifted? Help!

What are the "awards ceremonies?" In order to participate in those, you have to test by March 1, 2009. Any advantage to testing before then? I was thinking of perhaps Aprilish 2009.

Nope, not looking for any summer programs (none nearby) nor summer courses - too expensive at this point. I"m just doing it for my own information.

Couple of quick and hopefully helpful comments.

Your kids can still qualify and get their awards no matter when they test during the year. It's just that if you don't register by the cut-off date, you don't get to attend the ceremony. You can confirm this, but I believe that's what I read.

As for online course prices: note that CTY Grade 1-6 math is EPGY. Only difference is that it's CTY rather than EPGY tutors, and CTY gives written exams and/or quizzes rather than online. If you want to save money on these courses, go directly to EPGY, where you can get them month by month (rather than $640 for 3 months). Maybe they have better aid, too. Don't really know.

Also, as discussed previously, you can go to www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org and watch the listings for Destination Math II and up which correlate exactly to Elementary Problem Solving I and II, Pre-Algebra, etc. Only differences (other than 8,000% discount) appear to be that CTY offers unit quizzes, written homework (which is actually decent for DM III/CTY EPS II) and tutors. Also, CyberEd courses are the CTY basic science courses. CTY requires 5th grade math, but so far there doesn't appear to be any math in either CyberEd earth and space science or life science.

HTH those concerned about $$.

mmmmm interesting

Can you go month by month at EPGY? It looks like you pay by the quarter in the tuition section.

I'm trying to remember. Maybe they let you renew month by month. I know I extended DS's LAW at EPGY and I could just pay by the month. CTY has a weird renewal policy. If you finish early, you can choose a new course and keep going and then extend at the end of the original period. But if you don't choose a new course by the end, you have to pay another new registration fee when you go to sign up for a new course. Same thing with SCAT. They send out materials saying test again, see how you're doing. But they require you to pay the $30 or $35 application fee again, in addition to the $50 fee for taking the test. I can understand paying for the test again, but why do you need to fill out the forms from scratch and pay again? Shouldn't everyone already be in the system? Is this a necessity for them or a money maker?

From what I just read, you have to repay the $50 if you are retesting in the same year or award cycle...you don't have to repay the $30 bucks unless you are trying again the next year - for jhu-cty/scat. I guess if we do retest we will find out for sure...

Yes. My objection is to paying a new application fee in addition to the testing fee every year, and paying a registration fee for each course you sign up for if you're out of time on your current course. Well, I'm hoping that that extra $ is used to benefit some of you who hesitate at the cost. If I look at it that way, I don't have a hard time with it.

DD11 is currently doing EPGY math - we started at Grade 5 and are about to start Algebra 1 - we have to pay quarterly, and they only allow you to start a new class on the first of the month. Last time I looked, it was significantly cheaper than CTY. Also, CTY uses EPGY's program up to a certain point (I think they diverge at Honors Pre-Algebra), so we figured, if it was the same program and cheaper, why not go with EPGY!! We aren't in the CTY Talent Search area anyway, so there was no incentive to take SCAT because DD isn't eligible for the awards ceremonies. EPGY allows qualification based on ERB testing DD did at school anyway, so less $$$ there too.